


Lutalica

by Caskettmyheart



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, He's Precious, Lena just wants a friend okay, Minor Lex Luthor and Lillian Luthor, Original Character: Woldey, Possibly Multi-chapter, depends on my schoolwork and the reactions I get to this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2018-12-16 15:52:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11831991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caskettmyheart/pseuds/Caskettmyheart
Summary: Lena's life at Hogwarts couldn't be better. She's happy to be at this magical school, with her brother to back her up, to make new friends. And for a while, everything in her young life is just perfect. But when her brother finishes school and people start to gossip about him rather than adore him, her life gets a little harder.She's gotten used to it. The gossip. The insults. The solitude. She keeps to herself and people avoid having to work with her, whatever the cost. Though it stings, she accepts this is the way it is. Until someday, someone comes around and shows her that, perhaps, it doesn't have to be like this.AKALena's life at Hogwarts, carrying the Luthor name.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If you're wondering where the title is from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz1PNIOQsFs
> 
> Enjoy
> 
> \--

Green and silver. That were her colors. That was what the sorting hat gave her as she sat on the little chair in front of an entire room full of curious eyes. It came as no surprise to her, having expected this particular result. A toothy grin showed off her pride as she joined her brother at the long table. He sat right next to the empty spots reserved for first years as he expected her to be in the same house as he was as well. She was relieved, in a way. Slytherin was what was expected of her, and if she’d gotten anything else, she wouldn’t know how her family would react, having been Slyherin for generations. Though she had wondered about each house equally. But that didn’t matter now. Her brother looked at her with pride, his chin high as they’d been taught. He’d congratulated her and introduced her to some people around the table. With all the green and silver, she felt like she had found a place she belonged to. With people she got to know throughout the year. Luckily she still had her brother to go to every once in a while when she was feeling low, or she didn’t particularly get on with her friends. He was always there for her, even when he’d hang out with his own friends. Then he’d tell them he’d be back, and made time for her instead.

 

The colors around her neck and across her uniform stayed the same, even as the people around her changed like the seasons. While they evolved and grew into their surroundings, she felt as if she stayed the same. Second year just made that more clear. Her brother was a prefect now and showed leadership qualities. He was admired by all. Students from his own house, students from other houses, girls would go up to talk to him, guys would high five or shake hands with him. Even professors admired him, always greeting him in the halls and complimenting him on his grades. And even though he was so much busier, he always made sure to make time for her when her friends were busy with other things. She tried to keep up with them, but talking about that cute and mysterious Ravenclaw boy just didn’t sit right with her. Sometimes they’d even ask her about her brother and she’d just wave them off and go find him by herself.

 

She was scared about starting third year. Sure, she’d be at Hogwarts again, a place she’d grown to love over the last two years. With the giant squid she’d named Fish floating around the lake and the ever changing staircases making her get lost more than once, even after memorizing their usual pattern. Her eyes seemed a little greener when she wore her scarf, and she liked the look of it. She kept her chin up and walked the halls confidently now that she wasn’t as small anymore. A growth spurt had forced her to get new uniforms, but they still felt familiar on her body, even if the material was new. The teachers greeted her, knowing her mainly by her last name in relation to her brother. They asked her about him, at first. And she’d tell them they wrote to each other, but she didn’t know much about what he was up to now. The only things she did know came from a newspaper.

As the year progressed, her friends started to fade away and her brother wasn’t here as a comfort anymore. Professors wouldn’t greet her as often, and sometimes even avoid her gaze – in class or in the halls. Her friends would still talk about her brother, that hadn’t changed, but not in admiration of his looks or talents. Her chin wasn’t as high as it had been that first day and the meaning of her name had started to change. People started calling her by her first name in class. The green and silver scarf around her neck became a way to tuck her frown into, while the common room became a place to fear or to hide from, rather than spend time in.

Everyone was talking. Always talking.

She hated it. She’d always hated rumors.

 

That year was the first year she stayed at Hogwarts for the entire year, holiday breaks included. She still avoided the common room, though only one other Slytherin stayed. Yellow and Red were the primary colors during that break. Not only in the Great Hall, but on the trees and the remaining people. A lot of them sported yellow and black, while others paired gold with a deep red. She felt like there was more room to breathe, with everyone gone. At least for a couple of days.

The whispers didn’t really go away.

They only got worse after Boxing day.

That Christmas was the last time she read a newspaper.

 

Her fourth year, she didn’t even try to hold her chin up. Not even on the first day. She got assigned to a new room, a private one. They said it was a privilege only a few students got. Like head-people, or prefects. But she could see their eyes when they spoke, even if they wouldn’t her in the eye anymore. She’d always considered herself to be able to read people. Then again, if she was so good at it, why didn’t she ever see it coming?

She resented it at first, her private room. It was silent. Too silent. It lacked memories of eating candy after bedtime or making homework. But as the whispers that always followed her turned into insults, and words turned into spells, she learned to appreciate the private silence within her four walls.

She could see Fish from here.

She could hide away in here.

She could pretend in here.  

 

On a particularly bad day, full of hiding away and reading books she’d already memorized from going through them so often, she made a new friend. A peculiar one. Not one she thought she’d make. One who snuck her food from the kitchens when he noticed she’d been skipping meals. One who left her notes when he cleaned her room. One who’d play chess with her, piece by piece over the week, and actually made her enjoy the game again. One who eventually told her stories about a girl who’d fought for their freedom when she herself had been in fourth year. Freedom they didn’t need or longed for, but still greatly appreciated. Elves never forgot, he’d told her.

He knew what was going on out there, outside the school walls, in the Magic World. Yet he never talked to her about it – not unless you want to, Miss Lena – and she was so thankful. Because he let her talk about her brother the way she knew him. The way he took care of her and played chess with her. The way he made sure she could always reach him. At least, before his correspondence with her through Owl stopped. That was a while ago now.

Safety – he’d said.

His and her own, he’d said.

“I can’t trust anyone not to read these,” he’d said.

“I’ll try to contact you in another way,” he’d said.

And then he hadn’t said anything since.

 

Woldey was her only friend. It didn’t seem that long of a time to be on her own, since she at least had one friend. But when she was at home during summer break, she didn’t have him there. That just made it worse. The days didn’t pass any quicker without classes to throw herself in, or assignments to make. Summer was hell. The house she grew up in didn’t feel like home, though she wasn’t sure if Hogwarts was, she knew this wasn’t it. Her mother praised her brother, and she got filled in on all the stuff he’d done. So proud of him, she was. While she couldn’t believe the things her mother was saying about her brother, she still knew they were true. But the image and memories of the person she knew didn’t seem to match the new ones. It was confusing. It hurt her in a way she couldn’t describe.

He found a way to communicate with them again, but she didn’t want to speak to him anymore. She wasn’t sure she’d like this new version of him. This version where he talked about all his accomplishments like they were good things. Like they were things to be proud of.

Instead, she let her mother talk to him, and she herself avoided him as much as she could without upsetting their mother or him. She didn’t fill him in on how her school was doing. She knew her words could be used against her safe place if she said too much. There were people probably more frightened than herself now at home that would be safer at Hogwarts and she couldn’t risk jeopardizing that.

Her brother may have changed.

Grown into an unrecognizable person.

But there was no way in hell or Hogwarts that she would be turning into something similar.

 

By her fifth year she was used to everything. There were less whispers since many people who knew who she was had left in the past two years – her name just being Lena now. Lena. Just Lena. – and those who do still avoided her like she was poison to them. Sure they still insulted her if her brother was in the news again, still talked about ‘the other Luthor’ in the main hall. But she refused to be held back because of it. She didn’t hide in the green and silver scarf anymore. She started participating in class again, raising her hand when she knew the answers. She held questions back for after class, writing them down and handing them to their professors seemed easier than disrupting class more than necessary. Some were surprised, some never gave her answers, and others didn’t treat her any different as they did any other student. Except for the fact that her first name would always be used instead of her last. Those she shared classes with knew, of course. And she was the only student who – if allowed – worked alone instead of partnering up. But she got good grades and showed promising intellect.

She had a lot of spare time.

There were no trips to hogsmeade for her. Or study breaks with friends.

So she read a lot.

 

There was Woldey, however. Sweet Woldey who kept her room clean and left her a piece of her favorite candy on her pillow each time he’d dropped by. She wasn’t always there when he did, but it was his way of saying: hey, I’ve stopped by just so you know, and I wanted to check in.

He still snuck her some food from the kitchens when she spent the evening in her room, which now felt like a haven and a gift more than anything. She still went through books and books, but she made frequent trips to the library and refused to have to stick to the same few books she’d wrecked in her previous year. On her good days, she’d walked around Hogwarts. Up to the ground floor, outside into the domain and towards the lake. Sometimes she’d see Fish at her window and tell him beforehand, and he sometimes greeted her once she was sitting at the lake’s edge. Not when it was too sunny out, though. Or when there were too many people around. Lena always said to him that he was far too shy and shouldn’t let people keep him from doing what he wanted.

She followed her own advice that year.

 

 

One week, somewhere along the first semester as the leaves fell from trees and the sun lost its heat, there was a new face in some of her classes. She knew for sure it was someone new because all the people she knew from her year and classes had been the same for five years now. Newcomers never happened in Hogwarts. You started in first year with the same people, you’d get sorted into your house with those people, you had classes with those people and you’d graduate with the same people. Lena couldn’t remember ever reading about new pupils just starting off in fifth year. Even kids who weren’t aware of their magic would be notified at their 11th birthday. So this new girl was highly interesting. Not just to her. All the other people from her classes seemed interested too. And she wasn’t sure she was glad the whispers and glances weren’t aimed at her for once. Though, she still felt sort of bad for the girl, being the new target. She was used to this. The girl obviously wasn’t.

As luck would have it, the classes with the Hufflepuffs were filled to the brim, and the empty seat that had been her companion in these classes had to be filled with the presence of the new girl. The time of houses sitting and working completely separate from each other had been long over, sure. That didn’t change the fact that Lena had sat alone at a desk, or the place next to her in Potions was clear or even in her Care of Magical Creatures classes (where there weren’t even desks, just half a circle with at one end a space of one or two people and then Lena).

 

The new girl had rushed in seconds before the teacher had, a minute or two after the last Hufflepuffs had come in.

“Welcome to class. Go ahead and take your seat.” The professor walked to the front of the class. “Please do try and be a little earlier to class next time.”

The new girl only nodded frantically, her cheeks slightly flushed and her uniform not properly made. Lena wasn’t the only one regarding her, but as the girl started walking towards the vacant seat next to her, she averted her eyes.

Seeing as class started right away, they skipped introductions. Lena’s book was already turned to the correct page and she was ready to start taking notes. The girl beside her, as she could see from the corner of her eye, had no idea what page they were on and still had to get her stuff together. She’d brought way too many books for this class alone. It reminded Lena of actual first years – not yet knowing how everything worked and if they’d have time to collect their books from their rooms in between classes.

“Page 394,” Lena whispered, careful not to be too loud.

“Huh?” The girl next to her looked at her, obviously still not having settled from the rush over here.

“The big book with the red cover. Page 394.” Lena didn’t look up from her notes, and continued to write stuff down, even if she knew these things already.

‘Oh. Thanks.” The girl flashed her a small smile, got the right book, and started to take notes.

 

That was about as much interaction as she had with the girl all class. There wasn’t really time to talk much else, seeing as this was advanced stuff they had to know for their tests. But when class was over, the girl turned to her.

“Um, thank you for earlier. I’m new and I got lost and…” She had this big smile on her face and Lena wasn’t sure if it was a nervous laugh thing or this girl was just an actual ray of sunshine because no one smiled at her like that. Also, she didn’t have the typical British accent. Or any that she could name.

“It’s not a problem,” Lena gave her a tiny smile and nod and grabbed her stuff to leave. She clutched the books to her chest and started to make her way down the hall.

“Wait!” The girl scrambled to get her stuff together and caught up with her with a little jog. Lena just kept walking. “I’m Kara,” she said but it was met with silence from Lena as only a little hum of recognition that she’d spoken was her answer. “I think it’s only polite you tell me your name too,” Kara continued.

Lena wasn’t sure if she heard her right. She stopped, in the middle of the corridor and gave Kara a puzzled look, that soon changed into a slight frown as she was studying the Hufflepuff.

It wasn’t that no one had ever asked her for her name before. It was mainly that they didn’t have to. They just knew who she was. Of course the younger students didn’t, but it wasn’t like they came up to her to ask her name.

Kara was still nothing but smiles this entire time and Lena was intrigued.

“I’m Lena,” she eventually said, turning back towards the hallway as she started walking again. She had Defence Against the Dark arts next and she didn’t want to be late. She liked this class. She had it with the Gryffindors though, and many in that house didn’t like her. They had more family members in the Non-Magical world than the Slytherins did. The Hufflepuffs were a little more kid hearted in the sense that they just talked. Not unlike the Ravenclaws. The Gryffindor pride tough… That was the one thing that resulted in conflict. There were just a handful of students that were really bad, and most of them happened to be glad in gold and maroon.

Along the train of thought, she noticed Kara was still walking beside her. “I’m not sure where you’re headed, but my next class is with the Gryffindors, not Hufflepuff.”

“Oh I know! My sister – well, I don’t know if I can call her that yet – Anyways, she’s in Gryffindor and I’m going to meet her. It just happens that you share that class with her. Defense Against the Dark Arts, right?” Kara was still pretty cheery and Lena couldn’t figure out why. And then a thought occurred to her.

“How did you know I have DADA?” Lena asked.

Kara’s cheeks flushed a bit and she quickly averted her eyes, “Oh I’m sorry, I could read your schedule when it was on our desk earlier and I don’t really know where the subject is given so I figured I’d walk with you.”

“Don’t you have class yourself?” Lena wasn’t really annoyed with her or anything. More confused than anything else.

“No, I’m pretty sure I don’t.” Kara’s brow furrowed and she pulled a paper from in between a stack of books – it looked pretty crumpled up already. “Ah! See? I don’t have another class until after lunch.” Kara was back to beaming. Lena looked at the schedule as best she could while walking.

“You’re a fourth year?” Lena was stunned. “Why are you in my fifth year History of Magic class if you’re a fourth year?”

“Well, when I transferred I had to take a couple of tests to see how far my skills in each class were and turns out, I’m pretty advanced in some of these classes. Too advanced to spend my entire year in fourth. But because I’m only turning 15 in a few weeks, they couldn’t put me in fifth entirely. I don’t mind it, maybe it’s best to stay with kids my age. Though I am glad that I won’t be bored throughout the year.” Kara’s frown was gone and she was explaining this like it was just the most basic thing it in world. “I guess it’s not as normal as I believe it is, but that’s what you get when transferring from a different continent.”

Lena didn’t know how exactly she should respond to this wave of information, so she just nodded and stayed silent. Then something Kara said earlier occurred to her as they were nearing her DADA classroom.

“You said you had a sister? Sort of?” Lena asked.

“Yeah! Her family adopted me a few weeks ago and I don’t know if I can call her my sister yet. I annoy her sometimes, so it’s kind of like we are sisters already.” She didn’t seem to sad about the situation but Lena decided not to press about the circumstances that had actually brought Kara to Hogwarts. The corner of Lena’s mouth turned up into a genuine smile and she wasn’t sure when the last time occurred that someone – other than Woldey – had made her laugh.

“I probably know her. Who is she?” Lena asked. She might not know a lot about the personal lives of any of the other students, but Kara seemed nice enough. Especially because she seemed to have no idea what her relation to one of the most talked about people in the Magical Community was. It was refreshing for sure.

Kara was about to answer when they heard someone call out her name and both of their heads whipped around to see who called out.

 

She should have known.

 

“Kara!” her sister – adoptive or not-yet-sister, Alex Danvers walked up to her and glared at Lena when she looked in between the pair. “What are you doing here?” She looked over at Lena with a slightly suspicious look, “With her?” Kara was about to answer when the second part of that phrase hit her ears and her smile turned into confusion. She looked in between Lena and Alex and her brows furrowed. She didn’t do much for glance in between the two other women for a moment, just a little too long.

Lena didn’t feel up for this and she decided better not to start any drama. She held her chin up, her lip twitched as she gave a stiff nod in Kara’s direction, said nothing. She took a few steps backwards while looking at Alex, her jaw set, before turning around and walking into the classroom where class was still minutes from starting. She couldn’t hear what the two she just walked away from were talking about but she didn’t need to hear to know it was about her. She was sure that in her next class shared with the Hufflepuff, her seat would be empty once more and Kara would join the other percentage of the student body ignoring her. Alex was probably filling Kara in about the hundred and one reasons she should keep away from her. The other Luthor.

For what it was worth, the few minutes of conversation between her and the unknowing Hufflepuff had been refreshing and pretty lovely. Such lighthearted conversations were usually only reserved for Woldey. She sighed and started reading a part of the book to refresh where they had left of last class.

 

As students started pouring in, about a minute or two before class started, Alex Danvers took her usual seat two rows more to the front of the class. Lena could feel the glare thrown her way without even looking up. Alex Danvers wasn’t one to hold back necessarily, but one thing Lena did know is that she always thought before she spoke. She wasn’t like the others throwing insults, but she still made her dislike for Lena pretty clear. She knew a bit about Alex’ story, and about some of the friends she had in Gryffindor. She knew what her brother’s technology could do to their families and what damage it had already caused. It didn’t justify their behavior towards her, of course not. But it did help knowing they weren’t just some people insulting her because everyone else was. So when Alex had held her screaming and crying friend back last year, silent tears running down her own cheeks, Lena had taken it. She’d taken the hit because she somehow felt she had to. Because if they couldn’t stop her brother and call him out for it, she could at least let them insult her and make them feel like it helped.

Because she knew this about Alex Danvers and her friends, she also knew Kara wouldn’t end up being her friend. Not that the thought had even occurred to her before now, though now, Kara probably wouldn’t ever talk to her again and she’d be back where she left of, only now with a fresh memory of what it could be like to have a friend.

Someone that she could share classes with. Not just chocolate frogs on her pillows after dinner.

 

\--

 

DADA went by quite okay for Lena. She wasn’t bothered much, just ignored mainly. The seat beside her was empty and she used it to spread out her books, write notes and scribble corrections or extras in the textbook where she felt necessary. She had a notepad where she wrote any questions she thought of to hand off to the teacher once class was over. She handed it to her teacher, exiting the classroom last, and making her way towards the Slytherin quarters. She was glad not to see any Gryffindors remaining in the halls or any people specifically paying attention to her. She had a little bit of time before lunch and wanted to get a head start on a couple of assignments she had. She was actually thinking of skipping lunch all together to go studying in the library when she entered her room and Woldey was sitting on her bed. She greeted him with a smile, one he happily returned.

“Hello miss Lena! I was just going to leave this here. No walk around the grounds today?” Woldey asked, knowing her schedule well enough to know she had some free time, which she sometimes spent going to the lake.

“Not today,” she put her books on her desk and grabbed some for her classes in the afternoon and put them on her bed. “I’m probably just going to the library to study a bit.”

Woldey stopped what he was doing and turned to her. “Oh no no, you musn’t. You need to eat lunch! I can’t sneak out any today. There are a couple of new house elves and they’re being trained. Everyone is more watchful. So you must go to the great hall and eat.”

Lena looked at him for a moment and gave him a genuine small smile. “Your concern is heartwarming, Woldey. But I promise you I’m taking care of myself. I just have assignments and I want to start preparations for the O.W.Ls.”

He looked at her as if she were nearly-headless-Nick showing students just how nearly headless he was. “O.W.Ls? It’s only the first semester! You need to relax a little more, miss Lena.”

Lena sighed and since lunch hadn’t been a problem for a while now, she figured she could go. If only to please her friend.

“Alright, alright. I’ll go to lunch. But then you have to keep me company until I can go. Want to play a game of chess?”

 

Once it was time for lunch, Lena headed out of her room with her books for the next classes in tow. She usually just sat at the table, ate, and read a little afterwards before it was time for her next class. It was easier than going back to the dungeons, only to scale up the many stairs to Astronomy afterwards. So she made her way to lunch, not really looking around at anyone as she walked into the great hall. However what she did look at as she walked towards her regular spot, was the decorations and coming and going of food. The ceiling showed the grim weather it had been all day and on the tables, a pretty luxurious lunch was served. There were plates magically conjured as students sat down at their tables and refills for the bread and sandwiches whenever needed. Lena really liked seeing all the little stuff magic could do, that was so taken for granted sometimes. The fact that no one needed to go around serving people, or that there was just this endless supply so that students could eat until they got sick. The long tables weren’t decorated for a specific house, as Ravenclaws joined a table full of Slytherin and a single Gryffindor student. Another group, mainly Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, also sported two people from Slytherin. Everyone sat together and enjoyed the early lunch. Some students, noticeably younger, joined sixth years of their house and seemed to get into a discussion about which Quidditch team would beat the other.

Though she was looking around, she still had the habit of avoiding people’s gazes and only looking at one spot for not much longer than a split second. That was one of the reasons she didn’t notice a younger Hufflepuff looking her way as Lena took place at her usual spot, almost at the end of the tables, her back to the wall. That way no one could just pass behind her and make snide remarks. She discovered that nifty trick somewhere along third year when someone had ‘accidentally’ dropped their pudding down Lena’s back. Luckily it washed out of her shirt easily enough and there was no need to ask her mother for a replacement.

 

She put her books down in the vacant spot next to her on one end while an empty plate appeared before her, along with cutlery and a cup. The basket near her filled with both sandwiches and sliced bread while next to it, three bottles appeared with milk, juice and water. She started to eat while she had one of her books open to read the paragraph they would be talking about in Astronomy. She wasn’t aware of it yet, but that was one of the last moments of alone time she’d have in the coming weeks.

Blue eyes that had been following her were now closing in. Lena was focused on reading and chewing more than on her surroundings. Since people usually avoided her, she was startled when she saw movement in front of her. She fought the urge to look up as books thudded on the table in the spot across from her. Then, she heard the unfamiliar accent her ears had been introduced to earlier in the day.

“I really should have taken a better look at my schedule before starting the day.” Kara sat herself down and talked to her like she’d known Lena for years. Not even bothering with a greeting. Lena was unsure of what to say or do, but apparently, she didn’t need to. Kara simply continued. “I mean, I have Astronomy next with you, and I could’ve left my book in my room because it’s not that far to go and grab it. But of course, I didn’t. I took it with me the entire day and now my arms are aching.” Kara laid her head in both of her hands as her elbows rested on the table.

Lena figured she could look up now, and the sight of Kara, full on pouting, made her bite her lip to prevent a smile from forming.

“Well, I guess you learnt something for next week.”

A plate appeared in front of Kara and she started grabbing food. Lena took another bite out of her sandwich and figured since she had someone sitting in front of her to actually talk to, reading Astronomy could wait. She marked the page in her head and put the book next to her in the vacant spot.

“It’s so different being here. I mean, lots of it works the same. But there are things that are just done differently and it’s strange noticing it all.” Kara emphasized what she said by gesturing with a sandwich in one hand, and a butterknife in the other.

“And where exactly is it that things are so different from here? You’re not from the UK I’m guessing.” Lena wasn’t sure she could ask, but since Kara was actually the one bringing the subject to the forefront, she figured it was alright.

“Oh! Right. Well, I’m from all around the US, basically. My parents moved around a lot as a kid and I would sometimes pick up on an accent here and there if I was there long enough. So it’s a bunch of everything and nothing at all.” Kara took a bite.

Lena noticed she talked quite fast and seemed to forget to breathe sometimes. It was sort of adorable, and maybe just a tiny bit annoying. But she was happy someone was taking time out of their day to talk to her, so she just smiled and nodded in response.

“I’ve never traveled much so I wouldn’t really know how the magical world looks in the US.” Her mother never took them anywhere she wouldn’t go. And with Lex’ recent activities, all the focus had gone to that. She couldn’t remember a day in her life where she went further away from home that was not for school. In a way, school had been her first vacation. In another, it turned out it was never a holiday at all.

Kara swallowed another bite and pulled Lena from her thoughts when she spoke.

“We never went anywhere outside of the US either, but I suppose I saw a lot of the US, so that counts. Anyway, I’m here now, and I’ve noticed it somehow all seems much older and traditional here. But I kind of like it.” She smiled, but not for long, as she regarded her sandwich and took another bite.

 

 

All throughout lunch, Lena just wanted to ask Kara one question, but she feared that’d remind Kara she shouldn’t be hanging out with her and the wonderful spell that was on this special day would be broken. So instead of asking her, she just pretended the thing with Alex hadn’t happened, and she now had a new friend. After all, they did have a couple of classes together, so they’d be seeing a lot of each other.

They walked to class together, sat next to each other during class, and while they both still paid attention to the lesson, Lena couldn’t help but feel the need to glance over at Kara every couple of minutes. Just to make sure she was really still there. And when they did exercises together, it was nice to actually have someone to make small talk with.

 

They went their separate ways for their next classes, as Lena had Charms with the Ravenclaws. At least she wouldn’t have to have another encounter with Alex or the other Gryffindors today. Nor the next day, for that matter.

Without Kara in her class, she kept up her routine of sitting alone, focusing on the material and practicing by herself. But something had changed. And it felt really nice.

 

 

At dinner, Kara sat by Alex and some of her Gryffindor friends. She was already sitting down when Lena walked in and didn’t really notice her walking past. Alex did, however, and gave her a look that seemed more curious than anything else, really. A sort of look that said: ‘what are you planning with my sister?’ After everything, she wasn’t really surprised, not mad. She just walked on to her regular spot and ate dinner alone with a book. She could’ve turned around and ate in her room, but she was heading to the library to work on her homework next and she thought maybe she could ask Kara to join her. But there was no way she was going to go up to the group and put herself in a vulnerable position. In the middle of the great hall. No. Something may have changed today, but that would take a whole other miracle.

 

The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful. She made her homework and studied alone in the library in a solitary place. And when she laid in her bed that evening, she almost couldn’t believe today had been different than any other day. Even without Kara, she’d have called this a good day: no one came at her, no one insulted her, no one tried to pull any pranks.

Yeah, today had been a good day.

A great day, in fact.

 

 

She wondered how long it would last.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise!  
> I wasn't sure I was going to do another chapter of this, but I found myself inspired. It was a nice way to pass time in a very boring class without wifi.  
> \- Enjoy! -

To her surprise, Kara stuck around for days. Then days turned into weeks. She sat next to Kara in every class she shared with the Hufflepuffs. She usually ate lunch with her and talked about a lot of different things. It could be as benign as the lack of pattern of raindrops ticking against a window, to as big as what she should expect as her exams. For dinner, it depended on the schedule. Sometimes, on Mondays, Kara would join her for desert or homework afterwards in the library. Some days, she’d sit alone in the great hall and Kara would sit with her sister and a mix of her other friends. Then, when she’d had a rough day, she’d just eat dinner in her room with Woldey. Though it happened less frequent, it did mean that now, she rarely really ate alone in her room anymore. She’d also seen Woldey less, but they’d picked up the habit of playing long term chess games, which Woldey making a move with each time he visited and she made her move in between.

 

There were some times in which she still doubted if Kara was here to stay, but they’d faded as the days passed. There had been a moment where Kara had seemed more down for a couple of days. “A fight with Alex,” she’d said. And Lena thought it best to just leave it at that. She didn’t want to invade too much into Kara’s life and her past. But it was good to see the fight being over and her resuming her usual dinners with Alex or talks in between classes.

 

On a certain good tuesday, about a month after Kara had joined her at Hogwarts, Kara sat with Lena on their usual lunch meetings. The great hall was pleasantly filled with students from each house. She’d just finished her Transfiguration and Charms classes with Ravenclaw so she was looking forward to seeing Kara at lunch. They only had one class together, Potions, for their last period of the day.

Kara was skipping towards her in her usual jolly manner and Lena say waiting for her with her books beside her. As Kara sat down, she immediately started talking about her classes and if something funny happened. She flayed her hands around as she talked, which made Lena laugh about just as much as the story was. She laughed freely and happily when Kara mentioned that someone had nearly set loose a bunch of little creatures that were called Nifflers, which caused Hagrid to chase a bunch of tiny jewelry stealing monsters. Lena recognized as she was laughing that it had been a long time since she’d felt this happy without caring about the people around her noticing. Sure, she saw some people in the near vicinity looking at her like she should shut up, but she ignored them happily. Kara was just so good at making her forget about all of this.

Lena hid her increasingly reddening cheeks – from laughing of course – behind one of the books she’d been reading as Kara continued her story. She was looking at Kara as the Hufflepuff was waving her hands around at laughing at her own story, but Lena was focused more on her eyes. They sparkled with joy and life and it was beautiful. Without thinking, her eyes flickered over all of Kara’s features. Her eyebrows and how they knitted together in a crinkle as she spoke about something rather disgusting. Her round cheeks and the way her glasses framed her face. And then finally they flitted over Kara’s lips ever so quickly. They were formed in a radiant smile and Lena wasn’t even aware Kara had stopped talking and was now just looking at her with so much joy in her features.

Before Kara caught her staring however, a shadow moved over Kara and in the background, a handful of figures appeared. It snapped her out of her staring rather abruptly and when she saw who was standing behind Kara, her smile instantly disappeared.

Kara saw Lena’s eyes had averted and followed to see her sister and some of her friends standing there.

“Oh! Hey, Alex,” she said cheerfully, pulling her feet out from under the table and turning to talk to her sister better. When she got a chance to look at the people around Alex, they all looked rather serious and some had their eyes trained on Lena. She didn’t like the way they looked at her friend and looked back at Lena to see she’d shrunken in posture and was even hiding, it seemed.

“Kara, I need to talk to you,” Alex said in a rather serious manner. It didn’t sound urgent however, and Kara alright sensed this wasn’t a conversation she was going to like.

Lena, in the meantime, had tried not to stray in her line of sight, focusing on Kara and the conversation in front of her rather than the decreasing volume of conversation around her. Whispers caught her ears and she knew if she’d look around, everyone would be watching her. She’d almost forgotten what it was like to have all those eyes on her.

Almost.

Her confidence was as low as it had been when they started, and her heart was starting to pound faster. Her breathing was coming in bursts all while she tried to stay calm. Whatever Alex wanted to talk to her sister about, she knew I’d be to tell Kara to stay away, and all these horrible things about be said and then she’d lose Kara as a friend and confidant and… She tried to take a deep breath and calm her thoughts. Kara wouldn’t listen to them? Right? She seemed different. Surely by now someone had told her of the rumors and Kara had just ignored them. At least, she hoped.

Lena caught Kara’s eyes and her heart seemed to stop. She felt reassured with the way Kara looked at her. Kara turned back to Alex however, and the feelings of doubt crept back into her mind.

Kara looked up at Alex who was giving her an impatient look.

“Alright, what is it?” her cheerful tone gone.

Alex cast a look towards Lena for the first time since she’d come to stand there and said, “In private.”

“Private? Are your friends joining us then, ‘cause that doesn’t seem fair towards my friend.”

Lena had no idea Kara could be so sassy to her sister and if she wasn’t feeling so petrified right now. She sensed more heads turning, fingers pointing. She just wished it could all stop. Her heart was pounding so loud in her ears she didn’t even hear herself whisper. “Kara.”

Kara hadn’t heard her either and she just continued talking to her sister.

“They won’t come with us,” Alex was growing frustrated. “Just, please come with me Kara.”

“No, I won’t. I was looking forward to eating the rest of my lunch with Lena in peace. We can talk after Potions.”

Alex sighed in response and folded her arms in front of her. Lena noticed she was going to lose her patience and was going to talk to Kara regardless of where they were and who surrounded them. Alex might not want to humiliate her like that, or herself and her sister was more accurate. But Alex’ Gryffindor friends lacked no courage to talk badly about her last name or to ‘educate’ Kara with some very hard facts. Lena didn’t want this. Not the eyes and ears and whispers. She just wanted this all to stop.

Before Alex could say anything more, Lena whispered, “Kara.” In the nearly silent but packed great hall. This time, Kara’s head whipped around in an instant. Her gaze instantly softened as it landed on Lena, the hard stare in her face gone.

“Kara, please don’t.” Her voice was soft and timid. With all these other people around and trying to listen in, it was still just like she was only talking to Kara.

“Lena, I-“ Kara started.

Lena instantly knew Kara wasn’t going to listen to her.

“Kara, please,” she said again and this time, her eyes flitted around the room to catch some of the glimpses cast their way. Kara followed her and now noticed, for the first time, that everyone was looking at them.

Lena swallowed through the lump she felt in her throat and tried to compose herself as best she could, ignoring Alex’ curious looks as the Gryffindor looked between her sister and Lena.

Lena stood up, “I’m going to go. You talk to your sister.”

Kara’s hand landed on the book Lena was going to pick up. “You don’t have to go.”

“I feel it’s in both of our best interests that I take my leave.” She took the book out from under Kara’s hand rather forcefully and avoided the girl’s look at all costs. She felt herself getting more teary-eyed and she wanted to avoid crying in public.

One of the friends behind Alex murmured something that made some of them snicker while Alex just continued to look between the pair of girls in front of her with a stoic look. Kara whipped back around towards them, visibly offended, and they all shut up.

Lena took this distraction to pick up the other book and start walking down the path of the great hall. She stuck close to the well and took quick steps, wanting to be out of there as soon as possible. She was aware of the eyes on her, but she kept her eyes glued to the floor to avoid stumbling. Her heartbeat was thumping in her ears and saved her from all the whispers.

A déjà-vu hit her and reminded her of two years ago where she’d been in a similar situation. Only then, food bits stuck in her hair and the smell stuck around in her uniform for days. She hid her head behind her books and finally reached the end of the great hall. She was glad the way to the Slytherin common room was quiet enough and bee-lined for her room as soon as she got inside.

 

She threw her books on her desk with uncharacteristic abandon and launched herself on her bed. What the hell just happened? She hadn’t even been confronted. No spells had been directed her way. No one called her any mean names. Still she felt as bad as she did when all of this had started. She was better than this! She learned how to deal with it by now. Still she let the tears push themselves out of her eyes and onto the pillow she had pushed her face into. It were just looks. Just whispers.

She should be used to this.

She was.

Until Kara.

 

\--

 

Woldey was the one who woke her up later that day.

“I’m sorry to inform you, you slept through Studies of the Ancient Runes, Miss.”

As Lena pushed herself up in the bed, she saw Woldey has covered her with a blanket as she slept. There was also a sandwich and glass of water waiting on her desk. Her textbooks had been neatly stacked back into their regular spot instead of being on the spot she’d halfheartedly thrown them before.

Woldey continued as he took a look at the chess board. It was his turn. “You are awake in time for your Potions class, however.” He took his white knight and moved it to another square, endangering one of Lena’s black towers.

“Thank you, Woldey.” She knew she didn’t sound as grateful as she could be, but she had Potions with the Hufflepuffs. On one hand, she wanted to go and follow the class. She didn’t like to miss any of her classes, but Potions was all about actually remembering the actions by doing them. She could catch up on Runes with her book no problem. On the other, she really didn’t feel up to seeing Kara right now.

“Would you like something else?” Woldey, ever so kind and patient, asked her.

Lena sighed and thought for a moment. “I think I’m just going to be alone for a while if that’s okay with you. I’ll eat the sandwich now and have dinner here later. Would you mind bringing it up for me?” She still liked to ask, and not just assume he would, because it wasn’t really allowed after all.

“Oh yes, Miss Lena. Not a problem,” Woldey smiled, which was somehow infectious and made Lena at least smile feebly. He seemed rather happy to see her smile and with a click of his fingers, he was gone. Leaving Lena to her wish to be alone. But now that he was gone, she wasn’t so sure it was the right thing to do.

Lena missed the warmth of the blanket as soon as she threw it off, but she still stood up and decided to get some food in her stomach. The green color of the water at this time of day colored the entire room in a hue that she liked, though didn’t get to enjoy often due to her class schedule. She walked over to the window, her sandwich in her hand.

Fish the giant squid swam by, accompanied by actual little fish, his tentacles curling and stretching. He waved at her as he swam by. She enjoyed her sandwich and moments free from thought as she stood there. If only the thoughts could stay away for the rest of the day. Or going back to sleep, that could work too…

 

Eventually she had to decide: go to Potions and see Kara, or stay in her room, safe from confrontation. If she didn’t give Kara a chance to talk about what her sister obviously told her, she couldn’t lose her friend, right? If that was the best plan she could come up with, she was screwed. Kara was a talker. She would either confront her about her brother herself, or she’d just stop sitting next to her, stop being her friend. She wasn’t sure which option was worse, Kara yelling at her or Kara ghosting her.

As she thought about Kara, time passed and the deadline to go to class on time, and eventually even a little late, passed. Not that she minded that much, which was uncharacteristic on her part. Still, losing her only friend could wait a night longer.

 

 

By the time she actually fell asleep, her dreams were full of gorgeous eyes and big smiles. She was having a good time with Kara until Kara’s melodic laugh morphed into an evil laugh and the sentences coming out of her mouth sounded like the Gryffindor’s yesterday. Luthor scum. Murderer. All kinds of curses too bad to repeat. It hurt hearing them. But it hurt more that they were coming from Kara’s mouth, with her beautiful voice twisted to sound lower and meaner. Her eyes were mean and glaring instead of happy. It made Lena sweat and crawl away from Kara, who was backed up by her sister and their friends. Some of the faces of older bullies, who had now left the school, were mixed into the bunch. Was she ever going to be safe from the glares, the words, or the hexes?

 

It was Woldey who woke her up from her dream. A charm flew from his fingertips and softly changed her nightmare into something more pleasant before slowly letting her awaken. She took a little time to gather her thoughts, observe her surroundings, and come to terms with being awake. That the nightmare was over. (Was it really, though?)

Woldey was busying himself in her room, and she appreciated that. He looked out for her but knew exactly when she didn’t want worrying questions and eyes on her. She thanked him softly, to which he just nodded.

“Would you still like to eat your dinner?” he asked as he regarded the chess set. All the pieces were where they had been the last time he had placed his own move.

The clock agreed with her stomach, it was late enough to still have dinner and too early to actually go to sleep. She’d just figured sleeping would be better than sitting up, trying to read a book. But her mind wasn’t at peace either way.

“Why not,” Lena agreed and moved from her bed to the desk. She grabbed the plate Woldey had conjured with a snap of his fingers and she smiled upon seeing Woldey’s favorite dish to serve her when she was in one of these moods. “Ah, lasagna. I should have known.” She smiled and walked over to the chess table where Woldey was still pondering over her plausible moves and his probable answers. “Thank you, my friend.”

Her first bite made her hum in delight.

“I hope you don’t mind, I spied in on the class you were supposed to follow.”

Lena smiled a knowing smile but said nothing, instead she just took another bite of the delicious food.

“It was an easy potion that was very easily described in the textbook according to many students. Even that Hufflepuff who keeps blowing up things could make it. I do not think you need have any trouble with it.”

Lena focused on the chess game in front of her and calculated her moves. If she sacrificed her tower now, she could check mate him in a couple of moves if everything went according to plan. At least, that was one thing she could get a grasp on, while everything else seemed to just slip through her fingers.

She made her move.

 

\--

 

The hue in her room woke her up the next morning a little before her alarm was set to go off. For a moment, all was peaceful and there was a little smile on her face. The sheets moved around her as she turned on her side and looked at the stack of book for her Wednesday classes _. Fuck_. She forgot her day started with two hours of being stuck in Herbology with the Gryffindors. But she really didn’t want to give in and stay in her room for another half a day. Instead, the covers were thrown away, and the clothes that awaited to be worn were picked up. Her fingers pulled the green and silver tie over her hair, now in a high ponytail, and worked their way to knot the tie as she had many days before. A once over in the mirror and a check of her books later, and she was on her way out.

 

Lena debated skipping breakfast and to avoid any and as many altercations as possible. She needed to be more awake for that. But trying to wake up more included coffee. And that dark hot liquid summoned her to eventually walk into the great hall. She maintained her usual routine of keeping her head up, eyes unfocused on any specific people besides the spot she usually took. There was no one there. No bullies clad in maroon and gold, but neither was there someone with yellow and black. She felt disappointment hit her even though she willed herself not to.

All the excuses that came to mind, like ‘she’s probably not even awake yet,’ or ‘maybe she doesn’t eat breakfast,’ and others were still there, but she didn’t want to think about it. Still she couldn’t help but keep that slight sliver of hope.

 

All throughout breakfast, she tried not to pay attention to the other students. But every time a Hufflepuff would cross her line of sight, she couldn’t help but look up. Still, breakfast passed rather quickly and she made her way outside and across the grounds to where the greenhouses were located. She was one of the first to reach the greenhouse and there weren’t any groups of people out front yet. She sighed with relief and stepped into the room. You know that fresh scent the earth gives off after rain? That’s what it smelled like in the greenhouses. And Lena rather liked it. It gave the benefit of rain without actually getting wet.

Lena made her way passed two other Slytherins on one side and as Lena looked up, she saw Alex standing on the far end of the table she usually took. Well, avoiding it was out of the picture now. She hesitated in her step and that made Alex notice her.

 

“Hey, Luthor.” The Gryffindor’s words were all that different from any time else, but hearing her last name still made her flinch. “I would like a moment.”

Lena nodded but said nothing. She had a feeling she knew what would be coming and she wasn’t going to like it. She clutched her books to her chest and formed a make shift shield.

“First, it hadn’t been my intention to corner you yesterday. I wanted to say sorry for that before I go on.”

It wasn’t really an apology but it was probably as good as she was going to get from Alex so Lena took it. She just nodded, acknowledging Alex’ words but not wanting to give her too much of her respect. Since she wasn’t getting much of it in return.

“I wanted to ask if you could distance yourself from Kara.” And there it was.

Lena raised an eyebrow in response and regarded Alex for a while. When it was clear Alex was not going to supply any further information, Lena spoke up, voice coated with challenge.

“And why exactly is that?”

“She’s not from here and has been through a lot in the past year. She doesn’t need the extra trouble that comes with being your friend.”

Lena couldn’t help her features faltering and adjusting the grip on her books. Her shield was cracking.

“I see.” She swallowed and looked up again, trying to collect herself. “I assume you’ve asked the same of her.” She wouldn’t break because of this threat.

“Yes.”

Lena nodded again, unsure of what to do or say. She hadn’t really expected this. She’s expected Kara to maybe confront her, or Alex and her friends to be menacing again. But Alex, asking what could be considered to be a favor, a huge one no less, was not what she had assumed would happen today. People weren’t like chess.

“Does she know? That my brother…” Lena asked Alex in a surprisingly soft voice. People were filing into the greenhouse, eyeing them suspiciously. She didn’t have much time and figured she should use this civil conversation to her best interest.

“No. I haven’t told her about your relation to him. Nor did we tell her about my dad.”

“But you will if she doesn’t listen so now you’re warning me to stay away so you don’t have to. How neat of you to lighten your own burden.” Lena couldn’t help the bite in her tone.

“If that’s what it takes to keep you away from her, yes.” Someone called for Alex, her friends were ready to come to her aid, it seemed. Lena kept her chin up and her gaze hardened.

Alex waved them off with a dismissive sentence and turned back to Lena, whose eyes lingered on the girls on the other side.

“There is enough sadness in her heart. I wouldn’t want to add to it by having to let her know. It’s best you stop this here while you can both still get away unscathed.”

If she only knew, Lena thought. She knew she shouldn’t have held onto that sliver of hope. It was already starting to hurt in her heart.

Lena didn’t trust her voice to betray her, so she nodded. Her face was brave, but her insides were aching. Nails dug into her books.

“Thank you,” Alex said, before turning around and leaving Lena to collect herself. But before she really left, Alex halted and turned back to Lena. “Can I ask you something?”

“I believe you just did,” Lena replied snarkily.

Alex smiled softly. That startled Lena a bit. She hadn’t ever seen Alex Danvers smile at her words.

“Can I ask why you wanted to befriend my sister? Out of all people?”

Lena found it an odd question but to avoid any more struggling with the girl, or the gang that was ready to jump to Alex’ aid, she answered.

“You should ask her. She was the one who came to me. Not that I minded. After all, it’s nice to have at least one friend.” Lena sighed, “Not that you know the struggle.”

Alex’ eyes flashed with something. But it wasn’t anger, so Lena felt she was in the clear. Alex nodded and turned away from her once more, and this time she didn’t look back.

Lena pondered over that entire conversation for the entirety of the class.

And the next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \--  
> For reoccuring readers: Don't think I'm giving up on Sonder, I have just been overwhelmed with studies for the past months and happened to have more inspiration for this.  
> Sonder feels like my life's work, I will continue it.
> 
> You can find me at: Caskettmyheart.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> \--  
> You can find me at Caskettmyheart.tumblr.com to ask me any headcanons I have about this fic.
> 
> I don't yet know if there will for sure be a second chapter, but I do admit I have a lot of ideas


End file.
